A recent explosion of drug-related violence in Mexico killed thousands of people last year, dangerously destabilizing America's southern border. Some people, including many in Congress, believe the violence is being fueled in part by weak U.S. gun laws that allow powerful firearms to reach Mexico. But gun rights advocates see this connection as tenuous at best, and believe the violence in Mexico is being used to scare the public into supporting unnecessary domestic gun control laws. Would stronger gun laws in the U.S. stem the violence in Mexico?
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The ATF is to blame for the increased or continuing gun violence in Mexico. They have been caught for all intents and purposes smuggling firearms in to Mexico. Or at the very least aided and abetted in a criminal activity. youtube.com/watch?v=sT7kRbpyJmk
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/does-texas-gun-shop-tie-with-project-gunwalker
A gun shop urged by ATF to let questionable and even disqualified buyers buy, and to let them buy many guns at once, which the ATF wants ceased. In other words, to break the law AND the regulation they're trying to impose extralegally to make the ATF look necessary and important.
Prohibition has never worked, and never will. Supply and demand remain. ALCOHOL Prohibition is how the Kennedy aristocracy got rich, smuggling booze in through Canada. It's what made the '20s roar -- with tommy gun fire.
Mexico releases very few seized guns to U.S. law enforcement for tracing. Of COURSE some will be found to have been bought in the States. As long as it's legal to buy a gun anywhere and illegal to buy one somewhere else, gunrunning will happen. Supply and demand, and the huge profit Prohibited goods command.
The U.S. provided tons of weapons to Central and South American militias such as the Contras. Those guns didn't melt in the tropical sun when the wars in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador ended. And these were full military-grade selective fire assault rifles, not semi-automatics.
Recent internal memos of BATFE employees speak of agents smuggling AR-15s and semi-auto AK variants into Mexico themselves to puff up statistics.
I still can't seem to find the hand grenade isle at my local Gun shop. I found the select fire machine guns but they cost $10,000 and a $200 federal fee and I have to get fingerprinted and are all manufactured before 1986.
http://digg.com/politics/Arizona_Drug_War
Arizona’s Immigration Bill is causing a lot of controversy right now, but do you know why the good people of Arizona are standing behind this legislation putting themselves at risk from boycott ’s and other economic setbacks set forth by other states. Check out this little video we put together. The people of Arizona have had enough, and this is why.
August 24, 2009 / Richmond Times Dispatch
Long time Anti-Gun Advocate State Senator R.C. Soles, 74, shot one of two intruders at his home just outside Tabor City, N.C. about 5 p.m. Sunday, the prosecutor for the politician’s home county said. The State Bureau of Investigation and Columbus County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the shooting , Gore said. Soles, who was not arrested , declined to discuss the incident Sunday evening. The Senator, who has made a career of being against gun ownership for the general public, didn’t hesitate to defend himself with his own gun when he believed he was in immediate danger and he was the victim. It has prompted some to ask if the Senator believes his life and personal safety is more valuable than yours or mine. But this is to be expected from those who believe they can run our lives, raise our kids , and protect our families better than we can.
The failure of the Mexican government is to blame. I believe border checks go BOTH ways.
Drug-related gun violence in Mexico is facilitated by local and state corruption. It isn't facilitated by US Gun Laws any more than US Gun Violence is diminished by Canadian Laws. Both rely on a false premise, which facilitate false conclusions.
Mexicans aren't allowed to "own" any guns by law , but almost every Mexican has one. Did they get them from their friendly US Gun Dealer? I don't think so.
Violence in Mexico is a "Mexican" thing that can only be changed by the Mexicans themselves.
Blaming U.S. Gun Laws for the violence caused by the drug trade in Mexico is patently ridiculous. Criminals will easily obtain weapons on the international arms market. This may even be the source of much of the weaponry in Mexico.
The problem is rather one of restricting the problem of gun violence in Mexico to Mexico.
OUR GUNS THERE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!I THINK NOT IN my veiw you can't blame a gun for violence in any country or state because violence is another ignorance of men a gun is just a weapon of many they could reach for and the people that missuse this weapon should suffer harshly for there crime .It is wrong to blame a mindless object regraudless of it's use!!!
Civilian Gun Purchases are VERY easy to trace in the USA. EVERY SINGLE GUN SOLD BY A DEALER has it's serial number documented on the Form 4473 required to be filled out by both the dealer and the buyer. Research on the matter is just too easy to do. the fact that the source of Mexico's Weapons hasn't been pinned down BY NAME proves it wasn't simply straw buyers.
The only source of weapons in this volume is the government itself. If 'most of these guns trace back to the USA", but none of them trace back to a buyer(s)... hmmmmmmm...
The sheer volume and dollar value being spoken of on this topic proves all by itself that ' gun laws ' for civilians wouldn't have any impact as civilians cannot possibly be the source. It would take any individual less than a day to have it sorted out if that were the case. It is just too well documented.
More Gun Laws won't make any difference. Those making the laws are the only ones who can possibly be responsible.
How can US Gun Laws have Cause / Effect in Mexico?
They break our laws when they steal our Guns, and use them against themselves.
Our Laws stop at the Border.
No its not the gun laws that are causing the problems, its our drug laws . Criminals are already breaking laws, do you think they care what the laws concerning guns are? Tougher laws are going to do nothing but make it more difficult for the law abiding citizens.
Cause and effect people.
For years, elected officials in Washington portrayed Mexico as being largely responsible for the problems spawned by the increasingly powerful crime syndicates -- and for fixing them.
But at an unusual hearing of the Senate judiciary subcommittee on crime and drugs and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, lawmakers from both parties said repeatedly that Washington's inattention to decades of drug use by Americans had played a central role in the crisis.
Many also acknowledged that their own government's failure to stop the southbound stream of weapons and laundered cash had fueled the multibillion-dollar drug trade just as much as the northbound flow of cocaine, heroin, marijuana , methamphetamine and smuggled humans.
"Mexico and America are in this together, and there is enough blame to go around," said Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the subcommittee chairman and assistant majority leader of the Senate. "The insatiable demand for illegal drugs in the United States keeps the Mexican drug cartels in business."
He also said lax U.S. gun laws and poor enforcement had created an "iron river of guns " that had armed "Mexican drug cartels to the teeth."
Durbin was one of several lawmakers who said Congress would begin considering ways to reduce U.S. demand for drugs through treatment and other methods.
The Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. agencies are preparing to deploy more federal agents to the border in response to the drug cartels, one law enforcement official said on condition of anonymity because the plan was not public.
"The number of agents has not been determined," the official said.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), co-chairman of the narcotics caucus, said in the hearing that corruption in Mexico remained a crucial problem. But he also said U.S. authorities needed to share more intelligence and do more investigations with Mexico.
He also said it was important to get rid of overlapping authorities between the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
sniper scopes
There is absolutely NO reason to penalize the overwhelming majority of American's 2nd Amendment Rights because of Mexico. This is yet another example of a tired argument now used on an international level. When DC crime rate is through the roof, they blame surrounding states "lax" gun laws . Now we reverse the tables and say Mexico's violence is fueled by our "lax" gun laws. This is just plain stupid and intellectually dishonest on more levels than I can enumerate. Not the least of which is that I have not been able to locate a Russian RPG or Full-Auto AK-47 at my local gun store.
Mexico has enjoyed the unfettered illegal migration of their nationals into our country. Remittances from the US to Mexico is only second to Oil as contributing to the Mexican economy . Mexico is a country rich in natural resources and tourist trade, yet their population lives in squalor. It stands to reason that the drug trade flourishes in that country because nature abhors a vacuum. It is also safe to say that corruption begets corruption.
I find it ironic, a significant portion of those illegals in this country talk about demanding rights when they are uninvited guests in our country but they don't protest and demand positive changes in their country? Why can't Mexico with its resources provide for its people? Why do they encourage their citizens to leave by the millions?
Isn't is also ironic that the same thugs that cause the mayhem in Mexico cause mayhem here. Our urban centers are infected with ultra violent gangs like MS13. We allow them to flourish and recruit from the ranks of the disaffected in our poorer sections of our cities.
The bottom line is this: We need to quit screwing around and treat this situation as it should be treated. Those that are foreign nationals here illegally engaged in violent activities should NOT be treated as criminals, but as Terrorists. We should consider anyone crossing our borders illegally with narcotics as a terrorist as well.
Our government is charged with providing for the common defense and domestic tranquility. They have failed miserably in both regards. Instead of getting serious, they do the same tired crap they always do, propose gun bans and restrictions on legal gun sales to law abiding citizens. This is what they offer because the real solutions might upset out Mexican neighbors and the Hispanic electorate. Let me give you all a hint, I am Hispanic and I am the first born in the USA from both sides of my family. The difference is my parents followed the legal process to become LEGAL immigrants and eventually US Citizens.
In closing, when this government can't seem to protect its own citizens, it is the height of hubris and stupidity that somehow, we are going to solve Mexico's drug violence.
Yep. I agree with every point you make. It can summed up as being a border problem and not really a gun problem. The only difficulty we have to overcome is the fact that the problem at our Southern border doesn't get fixed because it is an expenditure that doesn't really benefit either of the Two Parties. It actually hinders them.
Illegals who get here and attain citizenship are a voting block. Illegals who get here can be discount labor . Illegals who get here can be used as a cheap commodity, really. The desperate will do whatever it can to survive. The fact that it takes jobs and cash away from Americans and yet nothing is truly ever done about our borders is proof that the politicians either don't want to fix it or don't care about what happens to us. Perhaps we're looked upon as equals to the illegals, with the exception that we're all documented and required to pay our dues.
In Florida you are allowed to stay as long as you get both feet on land, if you come from some of our neighboring countries. Additionally, there's several legal families who are somehow able to get government aid to rent home in Miami. They will oftentimes house several other families or individuals with them, many not legal residents. Yet they still manage to leave for work every day.
Meanwhile, I am a part of the 7 percent of the unemployed population. No, not the 9.7 percent or whatever the number was collecting unemployment last month. I'm one of the ones who wasn't reported in the numbers because my compensation ran out. One of the forgotten Americans. (:
I wonder how many illegals run businesses in South Florida?
....but, you have a very important fact missing. The wet foot dry foot policy applies only to Cubans. This courtesy is extended to those that brave the 90 miles of the Florida straits to escape a brutal communist regime.
Unlike the waves of Mexican illegal immigrants are escaping poverty and corruption. Both of those conditions are eminently fixable in comparison to the Cuban issue. Additionally, it is safe to say that Cubans are not smuggling narcotics or terrorist on their inner tubes.
I can also further attest that Those that come from Cuba after setting foot on US soil submit themselves to the authorities for processing. Cubans are considered political refugees not economic refugees. Since there is a specific policy of wet foot dry foot for Cuban refugees, they are technically not illegal aliens in the same sense as others that enter through unconventional means or traditional legal channels.
I cannot speak for the other nationalities that have migrated to South Florida. The Miami-Dade is no longer exclusively Cuban as it once was.
...I wanted to make the argument that America's guns are not responsible for Mexico's problems. Mexico's own internal corruption and lack of concern for its people's well-being is Mexico's problem. Somewhere along the line I forgot to add that in there. But it can be fixed if we start placing blame on its own corruption instead of trying to take that responsibility upon our Nation.
The American People shouldn't be blamed in place of a crooked, foreign government and the drug cartels that have bought it off. Why is America the scapegoat?
I enjoyed reading your response to the article.
The Mexican government has done nothing to curb the drug trade except take payoff after payoff from these cartels. They allowed them to build the wealth and power that they now have. If they want the US to do something about guns being taken from our country into theirs, how about they do something to stem the tide of illegal aliens and drugs coming from their country into ours. The guns these cartels are using are not even coming from the US. They are obtained through the typical sources: third world countries, eastern europe and south america. They prefer fully automatic weapons and gernade launchers, you can't get these in America. It's all about the gun control freaks trying to get more control by any means necessary, even if that means lying to the American public.
I think this question was asked in light of the liberals' (and some conservatives') attempts to blame "lax" gun laws for arming the cartels. I remember reading recently that 70% of weapons that end up in Mexico are purchased by cutouts in the US, for the express purpose of arming the cartels. That bogus statistic was clearly a politically expedient lie.
First, our gun laws are definitely NOT lax - it's not easy to buy a full-auto AK47 or M4 in the US. Most of these killings are done using black market full-auto weapons. Those I've seen in photos are of Israeli, Russian, Italian origin, etc. I also know for certain that you can't buy AT4 anti-tank rockets in the US. However, you can steal them from the Mexican military , like many corrupt Mexican soldiers and deserters do. Mexicans are arming themselves, and as long as there is money to be made off Prohibtion, they will continue to do so.
In light of that situation, there are two reasons for this violence: MONEY, and the Prohibition that enables the obscene profits that the cartels enjoy! Remember Al Capone? Remember how he came to power? Remember how he and his ilk lost power after Prohibition was repealed? End the unconstitutional 'War on Drugs,' and this violence will be mitigated.
We have a winner!
Help construct better, safer drug policies for society and the individual. The violence, official lawlessness and prison over population are a policy created nightmare.
Stop triggering violence, official lawlessness, racism , tyranny and ruined lives! Murderers and other violent predators roam free, while we police nonviolent adult social, medicinal and religious drug use . Limited resources can be better-spent catching pedophiles, rapists and killers. More time could go toward stopping DUI and those selling drugs to minors. Some of the estimated $50 to $70 billion per year local/state/federal budget could go toward true education ..
Weed out morally bankrupt servants of tyranny, gun control fanatics and racists by taking away the main tool they use these days to extend their agenda, the new prohibition. Servants of tyranny want you to believe the evils of the drug war are unintended but felony convictions disenfranchise
mostly poor and minority Americans. Jiminy Cricket, where is their conscience?
Help end the demented new prohibition! Take morally bankrupt profiteers, servants of tyranny, gun control fanatics and racists a step closer to being politically dead bodies.
Help restore justice.
http://www.WeCanDoItAgain.com
No, Mexico's problem is Mexico's problem.
Just like the idea that preventing good citizens from buying guns is somehow going to reduce crimes with guns. Criminals will find guns whether there is a law or not. A well-armed citizen group is actually deterrent.
Society has a tendency to go over the top in there in their attempt to fix things, and only making problem tougher or creating new ones. If we had creative officials, they would forsee all angles of an issue and then write laws more appropriate that doesn't create new victims.
Mexico has been known to be corrupt, laxed, and like a welfare recipient, blaming others for their situation.
The problem is most definitely not caused by US gun laws . First of all, its MEXICAN violence, meaning it is probably most convenient for drug dealers to buy guns in Mexico. Secondly, the issue doesn't lie with the guns, but with the drugs. As long as drugs continue to be dealt there will be drug-related violence. Stronger gun laws in the US will only prevent drug dealers from buying guns in the US, which they don't do much anyways. In fact, I don't think any gun law in any country would stop the violence; if the dealers want guns, they'll get the guns. Perhaps a stricter drug law would prevent further conflicts...
There are already gun laws regulating ever aspect of transaction across borders. The laws on the books need enforced. New laws won't make a bit of difference, enforcement of current laws will. New drug laws are not needed either. Just enforce the ones we have. Better patrols of our borders is a start and prosecuting the drug runners will slow down traffic. Not letting them sue our officials is another thing. They are crimminals. They should not expect to be treated any other way.
Obviously the biggest problem is the drug policy, however the cheap availability of guns all over the world increases violence and wars everywhere. The drug runners get enough money to buy guns anywhere, but current gun laws make it very easy and convenient for them to get them here so 90% come from the U.S. If they didn't get guns from us they would get them from China, Russia, Britain or any number of countries that make weapons, but that would be easier to stop. The U.S. is the world's largest weapons maker, and we should make a concerted effort to restrict"military grade arms" worldwide through international arms agreements. This would stop a lot of bloodshed. Legalizing of drugs in this country would cut the legs off from the drug dealers. The only way to stop the trade is to make it unprofitable. Even if they were still illegal if we gave interdicted drugs to addicts free, if they got into a drug program, it would cut the profits immensely. The cheapest and most effective way to stop the trade is to stop the use in the USA through education and treatment programs.
"we should make a concerted effort to restrict" military grade arms" worldwide through international arms agreements." Hmmmm, how's that "concerted effort to restrict DRUGS worldwide through international arms agreements" workin' out? Maybe we should just make more DRUG restrictions and those mean ol' drug cartels will just say: "Well shucks! They must REALLY be serious, they've made drugs 'super-duper, we REALLY mean it this time' illegal !" Here's a thought: In Switzerland almost every homes has a REAL assault rifle (Not the medium power semi-autos that the stupid call " assault weapons ") and crime is very low. While Mexico, with its violent crime rate that's much higher than the U.S. ...is "Gun-Free".
JerryB: NOBODY buys firearms legally in Great Britain. Only a few shotguns are legal now. Criminals are smuggling guns in to do their crimes with.
Why WOULD they buy them in the US, when they get full-auto ones much more cheaply, and with no legal hassle at all, from corrupt governments and operators in South America, Asia, or Eastern Europe.
Your argument about guns makes no sense - and the quoted "90%" number is a red herring - go read the report for yourself.
Regarding legalizing drugs - I tend to agree with you (though my stomach turns at the thought of crack, PCP, or heroin being available OTC.) Legal drugs may be the only way to "win" the drug war . Put them on par with alchohol, and tax them - maybe that's the answer.
Treatment programs? Well - how well would that work when the drug cartels have the money to corrupt that system also? They don't want to get people off drugs - it would hurt their profits.
US guns are a red herring - promoted by the current administration in order to grasp at any straw, any reason, to further limit legal firearm ownership. If you read the government report, the misrepresentation is obvious.
MikeS
How do you suppose that would effect society ? Do you honestly want a " legal " drug addict behind the wheel of a vehicle? If it isn't bad enough with all of the insane people already, with cell phones , ipods, texting, inexperienced drivers, the lazy people that have gone through the drive-thru and are trying to eat AND drive. HA! That is just obsurd. Only a misinformed socialist zealot could think of legalizing dangerous drugs. About the part of MORE education and treatment programs, because there is already so much of it on the books today. Where is the funding for this going to come from? I certainly am not going to pay for anyones addiction through my hard earned tax dollars! And I don't expect anyone else to either.
Computers don't cause identity theft, matches don't cause arson, and guns don't cause violence. They are just dumb tools that are used by people; chunks of material that have no power in and of themselves.
Mexico doesn't get 90% of their guns from the US. The entire country only gets 17% from the US, and that number includes average Mexican citizens trying to obtain guns to defend themselves from the cartels.
Get informed and stop regurgitating false information.
Does anyone think that if the Mexican drug cartels were not killing people with guns then they would be causing just as much violence and terror with bats and knives? If they're killing each other with our guns, then we are at least partially responsible for allowing our guns to spread across borders so easily, for making them so easily accessible on our soil, for providing the drug market that allows cartels to thrive, for having a staunch prohibitionist policy on popular drugs like marijuana , and for being defensive about this problem rather than trying to help. Our guns are not helping and neither is our "don't blame me" attitude.
you comment is analogous to, "they are getting fat on our food ", they aren't our guns , they are guns made in Belgium, France, Israel, and other!
Amazingly incognizant!
Less than 15% of the guns in Mexico have any link to the U.S. Most of the ones they are using down there are stolen from their military or imported from other South American countries? And as far as "allowing our guns to spread across borders so easily" goes, do you think the fact that millions of illegal immigrants walk across our borders because it's like some kind of international crosswalk to them might be part of the reason?
If we have a responsibility in this mess, then how many other countries are to blame for the problems we have? The economic issue must be the fault of countries like Japan and China that place ridiculous tariffs on American goods while we allow their products to be imported freely. And surely, by your reasoning, Mexico is to blame for much of our debt since they make no effort to curb the flood of their people from their corrupt nation into ours, right?
I'll accept blame where it is mine to accept. But saying that the violence in Mexico is the fault of the U.S. is just insane. That country has been a haven for thugs for a long, long time.
You're right, we are to blame. We are to blame for electing all of the so called Politicians that allowed our Armed Forces to supply other countries that were under attack from invading armies, THEN leave OUR surplus weapons with them. Which in turn were stock piled only to later be sold to OTHER groups that were in need of weapons for defense. Only to be stock piled again, and so on, and so on. Which of course you have got to know that all of society has rotten aplles in it, and these rotten apples want to make profit on others misfortune, so they make bribes and are able to assume possession of these weapons and sell them on the black market. Thus finally ending up where? In the hands of the highest bidder. It is known fact that the U.S. supplied Allied forces with American made weapons in every war we have helped fight. That is the reason the weapons confiscated in Mexico are able to be traced back to the U.S. Look it up if you don't beleive me.
"...If they're killing each other with our guns ..."
The interesting statistic is that 90% of the recovered guns are from the US. Yet, all of the pictures shown of captured arms show grenades, explosives, RPG's, Light anti-armor rockets (LAWS), true assault rifles ((selectable fully automatic fire), etc.
Just what legal gun store or gunshow do you find these in????? Could it be that some of these weapons were supplied to the Mexican government by the US government and then supplied to the criminals by corrupt officials?
Think about it. Even those of you who do not have any real knowledge of firearms must be having a hard time of it to reconcile what you see here in the US that can be purchased legally and the pictures of captured ordinance which could only belong to a military unit.
Olderman, I agree with your points, but note that the "90%" comes from the anti-gunners' misrepresentation of the govt report. The text of the report has some 30,000 guns the the Mexicans claim to recovered, of which they sent some (7 or 8 thousand) to be traced by the FBI - ones which they assumed COULD be traced. Of those, 87% were shown to have originated in the US. The actual % of guns traced by the FBI, of the total REPORTED to have been captured by the Mexican govt, is 13% to 17%.
And this is if you believe the Mexican government, the most corrupt in the western hemisphere.
"US guns fueling the Mexican drug war " is a red herring, being used by the administration to raise emotion enough to pass more gun restrictions. Nothing more, nothing less.
On the Mexican side, it diverts attention from their own corruption and inability to get control of the cartels.
MikeS
In essence, I couldn't agree more. As we speak, the Mexican government is fighting for it's life, and is casting about for something - anything - to save it. This directly affects the U.S., particularly the border states. However, it doesn't end with the border states at all. If the Mexican government falls, things are going to get *really* "interesting".
Very interesting indeed.
If things really fall apart down there, do we go in? Or do we blockade the border and wait for the dust to settle?
Could we have any kind of a "Red Dawn" scenario from that - China has a big hand in what's going on in South and Central America.
We could end up actually having to defend our southern border.
Now, did I say things that make me look like a "survivalist nut"? Or did I list possible scenarios - emphasis on "possible".
Methinks the most likely scenario will include more of the same down south, at least for the forseeable future.
We must NOT, however, allow our politicians to further strip our rights away by claiming that the Mexican problem is caused by our private firearms . YES, we are the big market for the drugs - but US guns is a red herring, a diversion from the main problem.
MikeS
I don't foresee a "Red Dawn" scenario for several reasons. First, the current state of the military in Mexico does not come close at all to being able to challenge us, and won't be for years to come. Second, in order to amass, train and supply such a force, a strong government and industry are necessary. Neither exists or will for years to come. Also, during those 'years', the people will be growing, changing, forcing the government to change with them.
The only way I see to break the cartels is in education , opening business and industry; stabilizing the government in order to provide reasonable security to the people and business. Yes, we need to be involved there.
The "Red Dawn" scanario was that the Cuban military, supported by the Soviet Union, infliltrated the US's military installations by coming across the permeable Mexican Border.
Why should we have to "help" Mexico build their economy? Or educate their people? Or allow them to enter the US illegally for work?
Why should we blame US guns for violence in a banana republic?
Liberalism is a mental disorder...
So, following this logic, the best way to stop drunk drivers, who kill many more people than guns in this country, is to ban all cars?? Because I drive a car, I need to feel "partly responsible" for those who drink, drive and kill other people? I agree, we need to go after our own backyard folks, the drug users. Or legalize some of the drugs, or make some change in the failed drug war. When this occurs, then the gun issue will cease to be an issue. Since it is already illegal to take guns across the border into Mexico, then what kind of new gun law will these folks suddenly feel obligated to follow? Punish crimminals, not citizens.
Gee, several DOZEN bodies have been found bound and gagged, and THROATS SLIT. No gunshots. Bodies without heads are found regularly. Heads found
SOMETIMES. These drug purveyors are ruthless and prone to take extreme measures against ANY intrusion into their gathering of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Guns are already illegal in Mexico, and you can see how effective that is. What good is a ban if it can't be enforced? Gun bans only serve to keep guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens. When will the bleeding hearts realize that criminals don't care about laws? Making something illegal does not deter behavior. It only creates more criminals.
Drugs are banned in the US. Has that stopped (or even slowed) drug use in America? You couldn't make drugs MORE available if you tried. Why do people think that a gun ban will be any more effective? It's funny how the majority of people who support gun bans are buying banned drugs and fueling the fire. If there is big money to be made, people will engage in those activities regardless of legalities.
Why makes poeple think it is possible for the government to regulate the behavior of the general public? People want drugs, and they will always find a way to get them. Criminals will always find a way to meet demand and will violently defend their revenue streams with deadly consequences. Remember the prohabition of alcohol ?
You can't stop people from engaging in wreckless activities. If they can't find drugs, then they'll sniff glue, drink hairspray, huff gasoline , suffocate themsleves, or whatever else it takes to get high. Think about how many people were drank contaminated alcohol and died during prohabition. Wouldn't it be safer for the users to have these drugs manufactured by companies with strict quality control, rather than being cut with unknown chemicals and overdosing when they get something stronger than they are used to?
Why should our population be left defenseless in a futile effort to stop drug violence? If Mexico could enforce their existing drug laws then they wouldn't have violent drug cartels. But, we can't expect them to succede if we can't do it in our own country first.
U.S. gun laws don't do the drug selling in Mexico. U.S. guns don't do the killing in Mexico. Most of the guns involved in drug related Mexican shooting come from South America, Russia or somewhere else in the world or worse yet from the Mexican Army. It is people who are selling drugs , it is people who are using drugs and it is people who pull the trigger on a gun in their hands. More and more gun laws do not change the behavior of criminals. They will find and use guns illegally no matter how many more foolish laws that you pass. The true victims are the legal gun owners who only want to hunt or target shoot for food and entertainment and 99.9+% of who have never broken any laws.
I find it hard to believe this is a serious question, perhaps that is why the comments are so few. The question should most obviously be "Are U.S. Drug Laws to Blame for Violence in Mexico?"
And one only needs to revisit their U.S. history lessons for the correct answer. It amazes me, after being practically brainwashed by my parents to "learn from my mistakes", that we as a nation can't seem to grasp this concept.
" drug -related violence".
Am I alone in thinking that drugs more than guns spur violence? As well as an idiotic system of laws that gives rise to cartels and drug-lords as surely as Prohibition ever did?
Perhaps if we looked at changing the "war on drugs" we'd find a decrease in violence..... but that could just be me.